So, we lost an away game 3-2

[Fulham1959]

So, we lost an away game 3-2.  After 7 games, we are 16th, with 8 points and a goal difference of zero.  We have a game in hand on the majority of teams and if we won that we could be 10th.

We clearly have a problem with conceding goals but, generally, no massive problem in scoring goals.  In seasons past we have often had a very tight defence but lacked any guile, incisiveness or whatever at the other end and have found goals hard to come by.  So which is worse ;  which is better ?

I have a theory that at any one time in any division of any league at least 75% of teams have supporters who are largely unhappy.  So, every week they moan at their team's performance and, perhaps, get carried away if things go right once in a while.  Fulham fans are no different and, in fact, there's no reason that we should be.

But what gets me is the predictability of it all, the Matchday thread being the prime example.  Nearly always just listening to the match commentary, 'we' all become experts on how the match is going.  Quite pathetically on Saturday, as soon as we conceded from a corner, posters were falling over themselves (metaphorically) to reveal the news that we had done so.  How observant and how useful it was to tell everyone else of the fact, just like a set of spoiled children.

I know all of the counter views to this posting but why can't we grow up a little and stop overreacting the instant something goes wrong ?  Does it help ?  I particularly dislike the vitriol aimed week-after-week at Kit :  'clueless' and 'idiot' almost becoming two of the kinder adjectives.  He's probably spent the best part of 30 years, or more, being involved with professional football clubs yet we all know better how to do the job ;  and, of course, he and his staff are deliberately coaching the players to perform badly.

Has anyone noticed how eminently successful and long-serving the average football manager is ?  It must be such an easy job when 20,000 (or however many) fans know all the answers and how to do the job better than you ;  and then let you know every couple of weeks, or every hour on dreaded 'social media'.

It's a forlorn hope, I know, to ask everyone to act with a bit of maturity over what is, for most, a lifelong passion ;  but it would make a welcome change if they would.  Ultimately, Kit may not last out the season because of a multiplicity of factors only some of which we will have knowledge of : and then I, and others who still support him, will have to accept his termination for the good of the Club.

In the meantime I look forward to more of the amazing revelations that we are conceding from set-pieces again and not sustaining our game for a whole 90 minutes.

[colinwhite]

I hear you . However winning football matches as Kit himself has said need to be done from a firm foundation,i.e. a solid defence. At what point do we keep saying so what ? Im not  a kit out preacher either ,the most important thing to me is that we play well and if possible win matches .
BUT it is extremely self destructive to let in 3 goals from set pieces and defend so abysmally in the process that other teams must think we are a joke. Kit MUST be able to sort out this problem with a better set of directives and organisation  and quickly too. If he doesn't then he will be gone , again Im more or less quoting what he has said previously .
Ive been watching Fulham for almost fifty years and I can't remember us letting 3 goals in from corners before . It isn't a new problem either as we all know.
I will get behind kit in every game he is manager and i hope that he can sort it out , but if he can't sort out this basic problem then he will have to go and by his own admission.
What gets me is the predictability of our poor ,pathetic ,half hearted defending .

[filham]

We have had two dreadful seasons, we are in need of a turn round of fortune. With new players our hopes had been raised but in all honesty the way we are playing it looks as if maybe it could be yet another poor season with the threat of relegation hanging over us.

Under these circumstance there are bound to be bad reactions.

[McBride78]

We have had two dreadful seasons, we are in need of a turn round of fortune. With new players our hopes had been raised but in all honesty the way we are playing it looks as if maybe it could be yet another poor season with the threat of relegation hanging over us.

Under these circumstance there are bound to be bad reactions.

I do not see a relegation threat with this team.  Mid table perhaps, but not relegation.  Is it frustrating, yes.  That said, there is no way that this team is as bad as last seasons, and there is a substantial gap between us and the bottom of the table in regards to talent.  We beat the bottom table teams when we played. 

[nose]

sorry to disagree with the OP, it is not a reaction to a single away defeat.
We beat sheff utd reserves (and for ages struggled to do get on top of them)
we beat the bottom side away but had long periods where we struggeld
having played the best football for ages V blackburn we collapsed in the second half
we have been vulnerable to any high ball into the box for so many games and we conceeded three from set pieces with mousa not bothering to run with the man he was supposed to be marking.... and for that I keep hearing what a great player he is. even at his age he should know he has to stay goal side and at least mark, and kit will reward him for that.

Sorry, the defeat and the manner of it, and the manager's amazing after match comments, are all frightening and reminiscent of when we slipped through the divisions all those years ago... we are genuinely relegation candidates.   We only started playing when we were 3 1 down and how long did it take us to get our first corner?

Not a reaction to a bad defeat, a reaction to continuing to underachieve!

[Chutney]

We lost to sheffield wednesday, regardless of where the fixture is played losing to sides like that is unacceptable.

[rogerpbackinMidEastUS]

I've got to add, the look on Moussa's face when the guy got behind him to power in a header.
Moussa had no idea where he was, didn't even jump for the ball and then looked around as
if to say "Who Me"
I know he isn't a defender but neither were Berbatov and Ruiz but they both did quite well (most of the time) defending set pieces.
Surely if you bring back a CF to defend he's got to be given some instructions both in training and
before the kick is taken.
Who on the field is doing that  ?

[nose]

I've got to add, the look on Moussa's face when the guy got behind him to power in a header.
Moussa had no idea where he was, didn't even jump for the ball and then looked around as
if to say "Who Me"
I know he isn't a defender but neither were Berbatov and Ruiz but they both did quite well (most of the time) defending set pieces.
Surely if you bring back a CF to defend he's got to be given some instructions both in training and
before the kick is taken.
Who on the field is doing that  ?

well you know I was not a ruiz fan, but he did a good job at defending set pieces, I always said so (well often).

[rogerpbackinMidEastUS]

I've got to add, the look on Moussa's face when the guy got behind him to power in a header.
Moussa had no idea where he was, didn't even jump for the ball and then looked around as
if to say "Who Me"
I know he isn't a defender but neither were Berbatov and Ruiz but they both did quite well (most of the time) defending set pieces.
Surely if you bring back a CF to defend he's got to be given some instructions both in training and
before the kick is taken.
Who on the field is doing that  ?

well you know I was not a ruiz fan, but he did a good job at defending set pieces, I always said so (well often).

You also know that I wasn't a Ruiz fan either but he did that part of his job OK.
Pity he couldn't do it at the other end very often

Oopssssss

[snarks]

Defending was poor from aerial balls that was true. However (if there is a bright side I'm going to find it) the one difference to last year is that headers from set pieces invariable came from players who weren't marked. At least this time, there was a Fulham player who was beaten for the goal. That is an improvement in they were picking up players. What was not an improvement was losing the aerial duels.

Moussa needs clear instructions when he's defending, but to be blunt, shouldn't be covering anyone at the back post. Thats where one of your CB's should be, with your CF marking the man at the near post or on the edge of the box.

[colinwhite]

Thing is it wasn't just moussa.Ream ,richards and even steamroll lost their players as balls came in . I like Lonergan but he has to go for balls played into the six yard box .

[rogerpbackinMidEastUS]

Thing is it wasn't just moussa.Ream ,richards and even steamroll lost their players as balls came in . I like Lonergan but he has to go for balls played into the six yard box .

I agree, all 3 goals were within the "keepers domain"

[Bill2]

I've got to add, the look on Moussa's face when the guy got behind him to power in a header.
Moussa had no idea where he was, didn't even jump for the ball and then looked around as
if to say "Who Me"
I know he isn't a defender but neither were Berbatov and Ruiz but they both did quite well (most of the time) defending set pieces.
Surely if you bring back a CF to defend he's got to be given some instructions both in training and
before the kick is taken.
Who on the field is doing that  ?

This is the, point who is coaching the players. If you can't defend put them on the post or leave them upfield not in the thick of the pack. To be honest I don't think Moussa is that good in the air and rarely wins the ball against the defender. His strength is when the ball is on the floor with his power and pace.

[nose]

Defending was poor from aerial balls that was true. However (if there is a bright side I'm going to find it) the one difference to last year is that headers from set pieces invariable came from players who weren't marked. At least this time, there was a Fulham player who was beaten for the goal. That is an improvement in they were picking up players. What was not an improvement was losing the aerial duels.

Moussa needs clear instructions when he's defending, but to be blunt, shouldn't be covering anyone at the back post. Thats where one of your CB's should be, with your CF marking the man at the near post or on the edge of the box.

mousa didn't move, he stood and watched is what i think the critical thing here is... stationary not outjumped.... a sunday morning player could have done better. Kit has no chance if his players do not try... but it is kit's fault if he rewards them with a place in the team no matter what they do

[Wearethewhites]

Yes we lost, but it's the manor in how we lost yet again, from 3 x set pieces. If we had gone into the lions den and scrapped with say Boro' losing 3-2, I wouldn't have minded, but we should have won at Sheffield Wednesday, end of. All this talk from Kit about top 6, promotion, fortress Cottage etc, makes these defeats harder to swallow.

[MJG]

Ruiz rarely was asked to mark a man which is different to what Dembele is meant to be doing.

He would usually be front man at corners and that's where he got most of his 'header'  stats.

[Burt]

The irony in all of this is Kit's background (defender) and his awareness that the bedrock of any successful team is a tight defence. I guess that is half the battle won. The other half is doing something about it.

[colinwhite]

Ruiz rarely was asked to mark a man which is different to what Dembele is meant to be doing.

He would usually be front man at corners and that's where he got most of his 'header'  stats.

We didnt  have any zonal markers (like Ruiz at the near post ) on saturday as far as I can see, we went man -man , and lots of our players Ream, Stearman , Richards Husband and others included, lost their runners , not just Moussa . This was partly caused by trying to get too close to the player ,too far from goal .
We are poor at defending crosses to our far post even in open play .

[MJG]

Ruiz rarely was asked to mark a man which is different to what Dembele is meant to be doing.

He would usually be front man at corners and that's where he got most of his 'header'  stats.

We didnt  have any zonal markers (like Ruiz at the near post ) on saturday as far as I can see, we went man -man , and lots of our players Ream, Stearman , Richards Husband and others included, lost their runners , not just Moussa . This was partly caused by trying to get too close to the player ,too far from goal .
We are poor at defending crosses to our far post even in open play .

Not disputing any of that.

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